The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
The House divided. [09:04]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business
1. The Committee met in private session on Tuesday, 7 February 2023.
2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 7 February 2023, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 13 February 2023, as follows:
Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)
COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS
Presentation and statements
1 Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters
Advisory report on the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made — all statements to conclude by 10.20 am.
Speech time limits —
Ms Thwaites — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes eac h.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices
1 MR WILKIE: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 , and for related purposes. (Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Cleaning up Political Donations) Bill 2023 )
(Notice given 6 February 2023.)
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
2 MS STEGGALL: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 , and for related purposes. (Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Stop PEP11 and Protect Our Coast) Bill 2023 )
(Notice given 7 Feb ruary 2023.)
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
3 MR TEHAN: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Migration Act 1958 , and for related purposes. (Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2023 )
(Notice given 7 February 2023.)
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjour ned pursuant to standing order 142.
4 MS TINK: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) Australia's housing stock has lagged behind that of many countries in terms of its thermal performance and the performance of heating, cooling and other energy systems; and
(b) inefficient buildings are unhealthy for occupants and lead to a range of poor respiratory and cognitive outcomes, particularly when inefficient fossil fuels are used indoors for heating or cooking; and
(2) calls on the Government to consider incentives and regulation to accelerate building improvements such as:
(a) a specific economy wide target for improvement in energy performance;
(b) a specific target within the National Energy Performance Strategy for building electrification;
(c) improving the thermal envelope of buildings through insulation, double glazing, draught-proofing and other initiatives; and
(d) providing assistance to low-income households, in particular those living in rentals and strata buildings, to reduce energy consumption and associated bills.
(Notice given 7 February 2023.)
Time allotted — 10 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Tink — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue at a later hour this day.
5 MS MILLER-FROST: To move:
That this House notes that the Government:
(1) has been delivering on its plan for a better future over the 2022-23 summer break;
(2) is being a responsible and honest government, accountable and upfront with the Australian people in the tough times we face;
(3) is cleaning up the mess left to us by the Governments of Prime Ministers, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison; and
(4) will continue to deliver targeted and responsible cost of living relief to Australians in 2023 as part of delivering on our plan for a better future.
(Notice given 7 February 2023.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Miller-Frost — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
6 MRS ANDREWS: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the Northern Territory Safe Measures Bill 2023 being introduced into the Senate by Senator Price;
(2) recognises the need for immediate action to address underlying issues across parts of the Northern Territory following months of escalating crime incidents; and
(3) condemns the lack of urgent action taken by the Commonwealth Government in addressing community concerns in relation to alcohol-related harm across vulnerable communities in the Northern Territory.
(Notice given 6 February 2023.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members' business time prior to 12 noon.
Speech time limits —
Mrs Andrews — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices
1 MR HOGAN: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the Order of Australia is the highest national honour awarded to Australian citizens for outstanding contributions to our country or humanity at large;
(2) notes that since being established by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, there have been 40,000 recipients of awards in the Order of Australia;
(3) recognises and celebrates the 1,047 Australia Day 2023 awards recipients, including 736 awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia for meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous service;
(4) further acknowledges community members recognised through Australia Day 2023 Local Citizen of the Year Awards; and
(5) congratulates all the recipients of awards on Australia Day 2023.
(Notice given 6 February 2023.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Hogan — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
2 MR R MITCHELL: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that Tuesday, 7 February 2023 marked 14 years since the Victorian Black Saturday Bushfires that saw:
(a) 173 lives lost;
(b) 414 injuries; and
(c) over 3,500 structures destroyed, including over 2,000 homes;
(2) thanks the:
(a) brave men and women of the respective emergency service organisations for their brave work on that day, fighting around 400 individual fires; and
(b) dedicated volunteers who came to the aid of the devastated communities; and
(3) remembers the people who lost their lives on that day and those who we have lost since then.
(Notice given 7 February 2023.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr R Mitchell — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
3 MS CHANEY: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes the:
(a) increased use of unregulated nicotine vaping products (vapes) in Australia, particularly among young people;
(b) serious health implications of the unregulated use of vapes; and
(c) increasing community concern about the prevalence and accessibility to vapes;
(2) acknowledges that the Therapeutic Goods Association has sought public comment on potential reforms to the regulation of nicotine vaping products aimed at preventing children and adolescents from accessing vapes, while supporting access to products of known composition and quality for smoking cessation with a doctor's prescription; and
(3) calls on the Government to address the problems associated with increased access to and use of vapes, particularly among young people.
(Notice given 7 February 2023.)
Time allotted — 20 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Chaney — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
4 MS STANLEY: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) according to Volunteering Australia's Key Volunteering Statistics, volunteers contributed almost 600 million hours of voluntary work to local communities in 2019;
(b) the Australian Bureau of Statistic's General Social Survey estimates that 30 per cent of Australians, aged 15 and over, participated in volunteer work in 2019 dropping to 25 per cent in 2020; and
(c) volunteering contributes billions of dollars in economic value to the economy as well as substantial social and community value;
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the recruitment efforts and operational ability of many local and national charity organisations;
(b) volunteering rates decreased substantially in 2020 and the 2021 Census showed a 19 per cent decrease in volunteering compared to the 2016 data;
(c) people in our community rely on the critical role of volunteers and any decrease in volunteering numbers impacts the most vulnerable in our community;
(d) the Government is continuing to provide support through grant programs for organisations;
(e) Australia needs a new approach to encourage people to participate with a greater focus on younger people; and
(f) the 'National Strategy for Volunteering' by Volunteering Australia is an important process in modernising Australia's volunteering systems
(3) encourages all Australians to volunteer for the betterment of their local communities; and
(4) expresses support for the organisations and individuals who dedicate their time for the betterment of our communities.
(Notice given 26 September 2022.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Stanley — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
5 MRS MCINTOSH: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) serious mental health issues are often at their highest two to three years after a crisis, pandemic or natural disaster;
(b) the previous Government made significant progress in supporting the mental health of Australians by doubling Medicare-subsidised sessions through the Better Access initiative; and
(c) the current Government has halved the 20 sessions to ten from 1 January 2023;
(2) condemns the Government for prioritising their budget over the health and wellbeing of Australians; and
(3) further notes the Government's use of the independent evaluation of the Better Access initiative to defend their decision to rip away mental health support from Australians, is disingenuous given that Recommendation 12 clearly states, 'the additional 10 sessions should continue to be made available and should be targeted towards those with complex mental health needs'.
(Notice given 6 February 2023.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members' business time prior to 1.30 pm.
Speech time limits —
Mrs McIntosh — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices — contin ued
6 MR VAN MANEN: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the significant contributions made by the more than 180,000 Australians who participate in a variety of motorsports nationwide, every year;
(2) recognises that motorsports have a substantial impact on the Australian economy, which:
(a) is estimated to be worth as much as $8.6 billion a year;
(b) supports a workforce of over 65,000 people, including:
(i) 46,800 direct and indirect jobs; and
(ii) 18,900 unpaid volunteers and officials; and
(c) in 2019 included almost 10,000 events across Australia, from the Grand Prix to club meets, attracting thousands of competitors and fans, boosting local economies through retail, hospitality, and tourism expenditure; and
(3) supports the ongoing development of motorsports in Australia, particularly at a grassroots level.
(Notice given 23 September 2022.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr van Manen — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
7 DR FREELANDER: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) skin cancer, particularly melanoma, is and remains a greatly concerning health problem in Australia;
(b) Australians require more equitable access to skin cancer checks with the need for greater access through general practitioner (GP) clinics and dermatologists;
(c) early diagnosis is the key to good outcomes;
(d) not-for-profit groups, such as the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Council, are the key to better awareness of skin cancer and the importance of early diagnosis; and
(e) diagnosis is being inhibited by the costs involved in GP and dermatologist skin cancer checks; and
(2) calls for the consideration of a separate bulk-billed GP and specialist item number for skin cancer checks.
(Notice given 6 September 2022.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Dr Freelander — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Orders of the day
HOUSING: Resumption of debate on the motion of Ms Tink—That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) Australia's housing stock has lagged behind that of many countries in terms of its thermal performance and the performance of heating, cooling and other energy systems; and
(b) inefficient buildings are unhealthy for occupants and lead to a range of poor respiratory and cognitive outcomes, particularly when inefficient fossil fuels are used indoors for heating or cooking; and
(2) calls on the Government to consider incentives and regulation to accelerate building improvements such as:
(a) a specific economy wide target for improvement in energy performance;
(b) a specific target within the National Energy Performance Strategy for building electrification;
(c) improving the thermal envelope of buildings through insulation, double glazing, draught-proofing and other initiatives; and
(d) providing assistance to low-income households, in particular those living in rentals and strata buildings, to reduce energy consumption and associated bills.
(Notice given 7 February 2023.)
Time allotted — 20 minutes.
Speech time limits —
All Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Notices — continued
8 DR REID: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes the Government will have delivered cheaper medicines from 1 January 2023 with millions of Australians paying almost 30 per cent less for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) scripts; and
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) for the first time in its 75-year history, the maximum cost of general scripts under the PBS will fall; and
(b) the Government is helping to ease the squeeze on household budgets for millions of Australians.
(Notice given 30 November 2022.)
Time allotted — 40 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Dr Reid — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Orders of the day — continued
1 NUCLEAR ENERGY: Resumption of debate ( from 6 February 2023 ) on the motion of Dr Gillespie—That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) Australia has been at the forefront of nuclear science and technology since 1953 when the Australian Atomic Energy Commission was established and operated two research reactors at Lucas Heights in Sydney;
(b) since the Australian Atomic Energy Commission became the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation in 1987, it has operated the HIFAR Research Reactor, and subsequently the OPAL Research Reactor, which has delivered significant benefits for nuclear medicine in Australia and around the world;
(c) Australia has developed one of the world's leading regulatory and safety authorities to oversee the operation of its nuclear industries with the establishment of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency; and
(d) Australia is a signatory to international non-proliferation treaties which is overseen by the Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office;
(2) considers the deployment of nuclear energy to deliver energy security for the nation, as part of Australia's transition to a decarbonised electricity grid, utilising emerging nuclear technologies such as Generation III+, Generation IV Small Modular Reactors and Micro Modular Reactors; and
(3) further considers the following legislative actions:
(a) removing the blanket prohibition on:
(i) the Minister for Environment and Water declaring, approving, or considering actions relating to the construction or operation of certain nuclear facilities as described in sections 37J, 140A and 146M, and paragraph 305(2)(d) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 , by repealing those provisions; and
(ii) the construction or operation of certain nuclear facilities as described in section 10 of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 , by repealing that section; and
(b) leaving unaffected:
(i) the other elements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 , pursuant to which the Minister would assess any application to establish a facility previously named in the repealed provisions;
(ii) state and territory powers to protect their citizens and the environment from potential adverse radiation impacts; and
(iii) the power vested in the Minister for Foreign Affairs to determine whether or not to issue a permit under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act 1987 for such a proposed facility.
Time allotted — remaining private Members' business time prior to 7 .30 pm.
Speech time limits —
All Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
THE HON D. M. DICK MP
Speaker of the House of Representatives
8 February 2023
That order of the day No. 1, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day.
That notice No. 2, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day.
Higher Education Support Amendment (Australia's Economic Accelerator) Bill 2022
Ministers of State Amendment Bill 2022
I'm just not going to defend what was done. It is just highly unconventional, highly unorthodox and shouldn't have happened.
This is sinister stuff. This is secret government. This is one of the most appalling things I've ever heard in our federal government. I mean, the idea that a Prime Minister would be sworn in to other ministers secretly is incredible.
I don't think he should have done that. I don't think there was any need to do it, and I wouldn't have.
Higher Education Support Amendment (Australia's Economic Accelerator) Bill 2022
The commercialisation of Australia's world class university research is key to the nation's growth and prosperity, meeting the challenges ahead and enhancing the lives of future generations.
Additional investment to assist the commercialisation of great ideas, at crucial stages, is very welcome …
… $2.2 billion package will significantly improve Australia's ability to commercialise our best ideas and innovations, scaling them up to create exciting new industries, new exports and new highly skilled jobs for Australians.
Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Bill 2022
Paid parental leave will give babies the best start in life. It means one parent has the financial security to take time off work to care for their baby at home during the vital early months of their baby's life. It will give mothers time to recover from birth and bond with their baby.
There is inequity between two families on the same combined income: they would be eligible if the man were the higher income earner but not eligible if the woman were the higher income earner, which is just unfair. The current rules just don't reflect the realities of modern parenting, with more dads staying at home to care for children. The number of stay-at-home fathers has grown to 80,000 in 2016, based on the latest census data. It is time to move away from models that assume children will be cared for by a primary carer who is the mother. Modern parents don't define themselves in this way, and it's time the legislation doesn't either.
With our current 5 month old my partner wanted to spend as much time at home with him as possible and was hoping to take parental leave when I returned to work. I love my job as an Emergency Doctor but would have much preferred my child to have the opportunity to spend time with his Dad when I am at work rather than at daycare.
Because I earn about the threshold my partner has been denied the chance to spend this precious time with our child. I feel angry that it's 2023 and a father is only able to access the leave on their own merit if the mother is considered incapacitated. This is grossly unfair to all of the fathers currently playing an active role in their childrens upbringings and almost exclusively affects families where women are the main income earners.
With the change in legislation we are hoping if we are lucky enough to have another child then he will be able to take the full parental leave time to spend being a hands on father to our children.
There are global competition for law abiding Low Skill Agricultural workers and Bangladeshi Low Skilled Workers has proven their usefulness in Europe and Middle East as Obedient and law abiding hard working people. As a results Greece is also recruiting Thousands of Bangladeshi Agricultural Workers as Fruit Pickers for 5 years temporary migrant visa extendable to permanent residency after the 5 years periods. I believe if Australian Government recruit Bangladeshi Low Skilled Workers through its own agency as it was done by UK Consulate in 1960-1970 from Bangladesh they will help to fill the gap of the necessary skill shortage in Rural Australia and in cities for cleaning and other low skilled professions. https://www.adelaide.edu.au/stretton/news/list/2021/10/21/a-global-battle-for-low-skilled-workers-looms-after-covid-australia-needs-to "Fifteen to eighteen thousand of our people will be regularised and 4,000 fresh agricultural workers will be recruited from Bangladesh every year under this framework" he mentioned. https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/greece-to-hire-bangladeshi-farm-hands-1658633842 Greece to hire Bangladeshi farm hands FE REPORT | Published: July 24, 2022 09:37:22 The Greek Parliament has approved a deal signed between Bangladesh and Greece paving the way for recruiting 4,000 agricultural workers annually, the foreign ministry said on Friday. It will also help regularise nearly 18 thousand Bangladeshis staying in the southeast European country.
We therefore ask the House to make special provisions for Bangladeshi Low Skilled Workers to be recruited by Australian government agencies to fill the skill shortages in Rural Australia as agricultural workers, Fruit Pickers and Low skilled city professions on a temporary workers visa. This will open a huge source of Low skilled workers.
Our beautiful city would simply not be what it is today without Patricia's leadership, determination and forward thinking, and we as a community have much to be thankful for.
… nobody wants to see interest rates go up, but it's a reality of a world where there's inflation. I think Australians understand that … there's a lot of pressure—upward pressure—on interest rates at the moment.
Well, I'm the opposition leader, right, and the joy of being the opposition leader is that I'm not in government.
The Eneabba Refinery Project strongly aligns with the objectives of the Government's Critical Minerals Strategy. It will capture more value on-shore …
Building a modern manufacturing sector and securing our sovereign capability is a key part of our plans for a stronger economy …
We'll dig them up right here. We'll refine them right here. We'll look to make the products that use them right here.
… this is just about making sure that Australian manufacturing has the right incentives in place to reduce emissions … This simply provides a carrot for them to be able to reduce their emissions beyond that baseline.
The Government's inaction as rapidly rising mortgage interest rates are devastating Australian families and households.
I don't recall ever having read so many words—almost 6000—that contained so little. No clear proposition, no coherent framework for thinking about the world, no tangible plan of action.
The treasurer's unimpressive essay is an announcement of a strategy of political control as much as it is of economic planning.
The Treasurer's rambling missive, where it is coherent—
is excessively gloomy and wrongly blames economic problems on the non-existent bogeyman of "neoliberalism" …
The answer to addressing rising inflation … it's to have sensible fiscal and monetary policy driven by a focused, independent Reserve Bank.
Thank you, Mark, for that kind introduction—
and for all you've done to keep WA safe—
Labor has real, lasting plans for cheaper electricity—
Cheaper child care—
Cheaper mortgages.
A functioning enterprise bargaining system will lift productivity so employers can share the dividends of better performing workplaces with their teams through higher wages and better conditions.
That in accordance with section 176 of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 (the Act), matters relating to the powers and proceedings of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission shall be as follows:
(1) members appointed in accordance with subsection 172(3) of the Act be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, or any minority group or independent Senator in the Senate and the Government Whip or Whips, Opposition Whip or Whips, or any minority group or independent Member in the House;
(2) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(3) in addition to the chair elected in accordance with subsection 173(1) of the Act, the committee elect a non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;
(4) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;
(5) when acting as chair, the deputy chair or other member presiding at a meeting of the committee shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;
(6) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;
(7) the committee:
(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and
(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;
(8) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;
(9) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;
(10) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;
(11) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:
(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;
(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;
(c) sit in public or in private;
(d) report from time to time; and
(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate or the House of Representatives;
(12) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (PJC-ACLEI) appointed during the current and previous Parliaments once PJC-ACLEI ceases to exist;
(13) in carrying out its duties, the committee or any subcommittee ensure that the operational methods and results of investigations of law enforcement, integrity and intelligence agencies, as far as possible, be protected from disclosure where that would be against the public interest; and
(14) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.
That a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022
That this bill be now read a third time.
Export Control Amendment (Streamlining Administrative Processes) Bill 2022
That this bill be now read a third time.
… if electronic evidence cannot be obtained in accordance with Australian court timeframes, this can result in charges being withdrawn, less serious charges being pursued, or a weaker case being put to the court. This can ultimately lead to lower rates of conviction and lesser sentences being imposed, if at all.
Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Bill 2022
Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep, pretty darling
Do not cry
I currently earn approximately $160,000 a year, and my husband earns approximately $70,000. When we have a baby and go on leave, we will not qualify for paid parental leave. But if our salaries were swapped, and I earned the lower salary, then I would qualify.
This policy is outdated and unfairly impacts families where the mother is the primary breadwinner for the family.
I am appreciative of having paid parental leave in our country, but I think we could improve on what we have in the name of equality.
If she works for 40 years, Jane is likely—if things go according to the average experience—to earn a lifetime total of $2.49 million. But if you take a second graduate and call him 'Jeff' and give him exactly the same qualifications as Jane and bless him with the same degree of averageness, he ends his forty-year career with a lifetime total of $3.78 million.
Children change things for both men and women. In Australia, an average 25 year old man can expect to earn a lifetime total of $2 million over a forty-year working life, if he doesn't have children. If he does have children, however, this figure is bumped up to $2.5 million.
For women, though, parenthood exerts the opposite effect. A childless woman can actually expect to earn just about as much as her childless male counterpart—$1.9 million over the course of her forty years at work. But if she has babies, that total dips to just $1.3 million. She will earn $600,000 less than a childless woman, and a full $1.2 million less than a father.
Rebalancing work and care responsibilities between partners would result in a reduction in the gender pay gap, higher GDP through increased female work participation, and would ultimately lift economic welfare.
… when a woman earns more than two thirds of the total household income, she starts to increase her unpaid work at home.
One explanation is that we have such a strong male breadwinner culture in Australia that in those households women are, if you like, re-asserting their gender identity by picking up some of the housework that's left over.
This will benefit mums, it will benefit dads, it's good for children, and it will be a huge boost to the economy.
Rather, it was a blur of tears, anxiety and a needling sense of dread that felt louder and more urgent as the days passed by. This challenge was in no small way due to the inadequate parental leave afforded to my husband, a predicament that is unfortunately commonplace in Australia.
… spent the remainder of a fortnight juggling nappies, breast pumps, and an unspoken sense of panic at the prospect of me carrying on solo once my husband returned to work.
Over the next few months my mental health suffered, and despite the enormous support of friends and family, it became clear to those around me that my struggle with parenthood was very much affected by what was later identified as postnatal anxiety and depression.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Payne) took the chair at 09:30.
How we design, build and live in cities of the 21st century is a daunting research challenge. What better place to start meeting this challenge than in our own city and region? And what better way to build the required knowledge than through collaboration among our region's research institutions.
Maybe we have 20 to 25 years and then we might be committed to losing Greenland.
But the time we have left to intervene to stabilise coral reefs, for example, is a lot less than 30 years.
To err on the side of danger is a stupid thing to do.
Climbing is like science. To get up a hard rock or ice climb, just like when you're solving a problem in the carbon cycle, you have to be ultra-focused, you have to make holistic decisions and you have to be absolutely aware of your surroundings. When you come off a big climb, you really appreciate the beauty of what's around you. That's the buzz you get in science when you solve a big problem and suddenly see how it all fits together.
He was a wonderful, kind and passionate man and he was the same as a husband.
He was the most marvellous companion and the best dinner companion I would ever have, and ever will have. He brought the world to me.
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022
Export Control Amendment (Streamlining Administrative Processes) Bill 2022
Jim Molan had an enormous sense of duty and was a great servant of his country … He was a great friend to the veteran community and was much admired by those who knew him and those whom he had assisted.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to say a little about Jim.
I am the eldest, Jim number four.
We six are spread over seventeen years—god bless my mum—so we each have various memories but the fact that we gathered from various parts of Australia for his funeral, as did our children, his nieces and nephews, tells you something of the love in the family.
While it has been wonderful, and somewhat overwhelming to hear the accolades expressed for Jim, to me he was, and will always remain, my little brother.
I always referred to him as 'little bro' and he to me as 'big sis'—somewhat given ironic his six ft four and my barely five ft two!
Jim was number four of our six and at ten years younger than me, he has gone far too soon.
Jim was a wanderer.
Aged about two he escaped his cot and was eventually found on the Ivanhoe station having negotiated several major intersections and only failing to board the train because 'the policeman wouldn't let me'. In these circumstances we should not have been surprised at his choice of career.
With three 'big' and very outspoken sisters, he learned early to be tolerant and to stand up for what he believed in.
He grew up in a household where a variety of points of view were encouraged and discussions could be loud and forceful. A highly charged political environment from the early days. But one full of love and laughter.
We were never allowed to take ourselves too seriously.
It will be some time before my hand stops reaching for the phone to send a text when something political earns my ire.
And I will miss those 7 am phone calls responding to such texts. We both have odd sleep patterns.
What a delight it was to welcome Anne into our family.
Another strong woman who was happily absorbed into our midst.
Jim would not have been or achieved what he did without her. She was his other half.
I have a precious photo of a handsome young man setting forth for Duntroon. My son, Phil, Jim's nephew, remembers visits to his grandmother's home where this photo had pride of place.
My mother had great pride in the achievements of all her children—and rightly so as she sacrificed to ensure our education, however, how we all laughed each time she began a sentence with, 'My son, the General …'.
Rest in peace, little bro.
I fear that the unforeseen will occur, as it normally does …
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
Although I retired from the Army nine years ago, my 40 years as a soldier taught me a lot that seems applicable to parliamentary and wider social life. First, leadership is everything. Whenever we wanted to achieve real effects, even in this technology dominated world, we still turned to the best person. As chief of operations in Iraq, I was at the centre of the most technically advanced headquarters in the history of war, yet we consistently turned to people as people when we wanted to get things done. Human leadership in this age of technology has never been more important, be it in the military or in society.
… Australia brings its unique culture into its military. Blind obedience to orders or authority does not make good soldiers; nor does it make good citizens. We encourage our diggers to question every order for as long as possible because all of us are a lot smarter than any one of us. But, when the final decision is made by the boss, we expect support for that decision until the situation changes significantly. This ethos and duty, this understanding of loyalty and teamwork in a questioning environment, is something that I intend to personally carry into this house.
I need to say that the only order I ever obeyed without question was 'Duck!'
Whatever I find myself doing in this great institution, I will work for it to be ethical. Ethics is about consistently doing the right thing, about being secretly beholden to no-one, and, in a political and parliamentary sense, about working for the voters who elected us. In terms of the Liberal Party, it means representing the members of my party and voters rather than disguised narrow … interests.
Many Australian dead have been brought back to Australia, but many still lie close to where they fell. Australia's interests lie across the face of this earth. We are an international nation with worldwide interests. I've visited many battlefields and played cameo parts on some. What strikes me is the consistent performance of Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen over more than 100 years and around the world. Today's soldiers are as good as, if not better than, any we have sent overseas, and much of that is due to our Australian culture and the leadership, training and equipment that accompany them. To me, they represent everything that is good about Australia because they are Australian.
Higher Education Support Amendment (Australia's Economic Accelerator) Bill 2022
The parents of Australia should be frankly really alarmed. You have got these figures of job losses coupled with the incredible reductions of courses, and that harms future generations of Australia. It harms anybody who is a school leaver, or who wants to retrain if they lose their job.
Australian universities must be supported to operate across the continuum of basic to applied research and both academics and industry must be incentivised to translate ideas into commercial outcomes.
… Curtin University has a leading role to play in helping Australia become a smarter and more innovative country, that leads the world not just in research but in making the most of the commercial opportunities that come from that research.
It was very quickly apparent that a single program was not the solution to this issue and that a more strategic and systemic approach was required. The result is the broad-ranging reforms outlined in this Action Plan.
… … …
This Action Plan commits the Australian Government to shifting the dial to place more emphasis on the translation and commercialisation of research.
Jim considered himself to be an ordinary Australian, but he had an extraordinary life. He was a man who was at the centre of so many pivotal events which have shaped our nation, the region and, of course, the world: Papua New Guinea's independence, the fall of Suharto in Indonesia, evacuations from the Solomon Islands, peacekeeping in East Timor, counterinsurgency in Iraq, Australian bushfires, illegal maritime arrivals on our border and the rise of China.
The ADF provides a formidable military capability built upon expertly-trained personnel and technically-advanced vessels, vehicles, aircraft and weapons. Working in close cooperation, the Navy, Army and Air Force are tasked with the defence of: our nation, its borders and coastline—
our people and their values—
and our way of life.
More than anyone I've known, in Jim Molan there was not a sliver of daylight between what he said and what he did.
That further proceedings be conducted in the House.